The Shift

In this summary you will learn

• How marketers can be strategic leaders
• What “five shifts” make you a “Visionary Marketer”
• How to work with five corporate marketing “archetypes.”

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Why you should read The Shift

Marketing certainly needs to be jolted into the 21st century, and this book may be a good first step in that direction. Scott M. Davis, working with Philip Kotler, who wrote the foreword, and with other chapter co-authors, urges tactical marketing executives to become “Visionary Marketers,” a transformation process that requires “five shifts” in practice and focus. To buttress his case for change, Davis includes real-world examples of top corporate marketers who transcended their traditional roles and earned the serious regard of senior management by affecting the bottom line. However, while his case studies have practical applications, he presents little new information and his descriptions of the five transformational shifts sometimes bog down. That said, he makes a compelling point that marketing must change and focus on the larger goals of the company, armed with superior knowledge of customers. As a result, getAbstract recommends Davis’ book to serious marketers who want to update and transform their tactics in a radical way and, by doing so, step into a more influential role in their companies.

About the Author

Scott M. Davis is a senior partner at Prophet and a former adjunct professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is the author of Brand Asset Management and co-author of Building the Brand-Driven Business.